Ground detecting apparatus



Aug. 13, 1935.

G. W. BAUGHMAN GROUND DETECTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 15, 1931 lllllll lllllll INVENTOR. Geo ge w. Bauglzmmz HIS A TT ORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 13, 1955 g g I r r a i 2,010,840

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,o10,s4o GROUND DETECTING APPARATUS George-W. Baughman, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, -Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania .Application October 15, 1931, Serial a. 568,892-

11 Claims (cirru -311) My invention relates to ground detecting ap- It will be understood, of course, that the poparatus, and more specifically to apparatus for tentialreferred to above is the power transmisfthe detection of grounds in an alternating'cursion potential of the line, as distinctirom a testrent transmission system. ing potential which may be applied to the con- I will describe one form of ground detecting ductors of the line for purposes of ground de- 5 apparatus embodying my invention, and will then tection. point out the novel features thereof in claims. Referring to the accompanying drawing in The accompanying drawing is a-diagrammatic which, for; simplicity, I have illustrated my inview showing one form of apparatusembodying vention applied to analternating current transl0 my'invention. 3

In t alternating current transmission systems wires BX, NX and CK are the three power wires used in railway signaling it ishighly desirable supplied from the generator ortransformer windto provide means for the detection of grounds on in'gs l9 and 20, CX being the common return transmission wires of the system, as well as for theBX'and NX wires. The capacities C grounds on any-roneof the control wires asso- C and C represent the inherent capacity to 15 ciated with relaysenergized fromsaid system and ground of the power wireswCX; BX and NX, re-

having the important functionof governing rail spectively, although in cases where the inherent wayflsignals or switches! The obvious dangeris capacityof the wires to ground is low, as in an that should a ground exist on a power wire and aerial transmission line forexample, physical a deenergized relay control wire atthe same time, condenserum'ts may be added for increasing the 20 sufficient current might be ied to the relay charging current sufficiently to cause ground through the ground connection to cause false detecting apparatus to respond. It will be unoperation. Since control relaysof the type comderstood that the capacities C C and C include monly employed in railway "signaling are dealso the capacity to ground of any wires or ap- '5. signedforsensitive response, dueto consideraparatus connected, respectively, to the severa tions of power economy,- and size "of transmis power wires of the system. For simplicity; I sion equipment required, itwill be apparent have shown but'two switch or sign-a1 control rethat not only grounds of low resistance, but also lays D and D although in practice a large numgrounds of relatively high resistance may be her of these relays or control devices may be pres- .30 sources of danger. It is essential, therefore, 'to ent. One terminal of each {of the control relays provide ground. detecting equipment not only D and D is permanentlyconnected to the wire of a high order of reliability, but also having the OK, the other terminal or control wire being conhigh degree of sensitivity required for detection nectedthrougha circuit controller K or K to a of high resistance grounds. power wire'BX or NXI The-controllers K or K mission system of the Edison three wire type, the 10 In transmission systems wherein all wires of may be either manually operated or governed. 35

the system are maintained at a value of potenautomatically by traffic conditions, in well known tial appreciably above that of the ground, several manner. Governing means for these controllers methods for ground detection are available, based are not shown as they form 110 part of mypreschiefly upon the collapse or change in the aboveent invention.

ground potential of a grounded wire, which Relay Pis a'sensitive direct current polarized 40 change is used to operate a sensitive ground derelay capable of closing one or another of two tector. Where, however, it is desiredto detect contacts depending upon the direction of current grounds on a wire which is normally at ground flow through the relay winding. The armature potential, the above methods fail, because a 4 of relay P biased to maintain the contact ground connection on such a wire entails no I 4-5 or contact 4--B closed in the last operated 45 change in the potential of the wirewithrespect position until a current reversal through the. to' ground. Conditions of this character may relay winding takes place. One terminal of relay arise in connection with the return wire of the P is shown connected to wire CX, although this Edison three wire system, and polyphase systems terminal can as well be connected with any power employing an ungrounded neutral wire. wire of the system, such as BX or NX. The re-- 50 The presentinvention discloses a method for maining terminal of relay -P is connected to a detecting grounds on wires which are normally at contact fing er l operated by an actuating device ground. potential, as well as grounds on those F, which contact finger is capable of being con wires oi the system having a potential above that nected alternately to the positive pole of a bat ofthe ground.

ters B andtothe-grounded negative pole of said 55 ing of relay P and batery. The actuating device F, shown as a relay, and energized from a suitable source having the terminals it! and l i, can be any one of a large grounp of well known electrical or mechanical interrupting devices, such as a flasher relay or motor, the only requirement being that it operate at substantially uniform speed, providing oscillations of contact finger l at a rate not too rapid for the relay P to follow.

It will be apparent from the description so far given that I have provided a method for alternately charging and discharging the capacities C C and C the charging currents which flow out from battery B and the discharge currents which return to the grounded terminal of this battery being superimposed upon the wires of the alternating current transmission system. The voltage of battery B is chosen sufficiently high as compared with the combined value of capacities C C and C to create charge and discharge currents of sumcient magnitude to operate relay P. When contact i2 of device F is closed, a charging current flows from the positive terminal of battery B, contact 1-2, winding of relay P, and each of the wires CX, BX and NX in parallel, charging the respective capacities C C and C with polarities as shown, to the battery potential, and causing contact 4-5 of relay P to lose When contact l-3 of device F becomes closed, the positive terminal of each of the multiple capacities C C and C becomes connected with ground through the respective power wires, winding of relay P, and contact l-3. The charge on each of these capacities will ing a discharge current in the reverse, direction through the winding of relay P, and causing contact 4-6 of this relay to become-closed.-

This cycle of operation will continue as long as device F continues to operate andeach of the capacities C C and C remains intact; thatis, as long as no grounds exist on the system. Should a ground occur on any one of the wires CX, BX, NX, or any associated wires connected therewith, the capacity toground of the grounded wire will become short-circuited, and this short-circuit path will be eifective in short-circuiting the remainingmultiplecapacities. Assuming, for example, that a ground occurs on wire CX, a path will exist through the ground, around capacity C and since capacities C and C are in multiple with capacity C these capacities will also become short-circuited. p v

Under this latter condition, with contact l-2 of device F closed, a current will flow from the positive terminal of battery B, through the windthrough the ground connecback through ground to the negative terminal of battery B. The capacities C C and C being now short-circuited by the ground connection on wire CX, will receive no charge when contact l2 closes, with the result that no discharge current will flow through relay P upon thevsubsequent closing of contact |3 of tion on wire CX,

device F. Relay P will therefore fail to reverse A and this failure of relay P to reverse is used to provide an indication of a ground on the system.

Assuming'the ground occurring on the system to be of relatively high resistance, the shunt path offered by this ground will not completely divert the current away from the capacities C C and C and some charging current will be absorbed by the capacities, which current will be discharged through the relay P. However, by adjusting the potential of battery B to that value which is just sufficient to give reliable operation of re- 'multiple capacities C and C therefore collapse, sendlay P, or by changing the adjustment of this relay, conditions can be established such that grounds of relatively high resistance can be eifectively detected, because under these conditions, a small decrease in the value of the discharge current through relay P will be sufiicient to cause this relay to fail to respond. As long as the sum of the remains substantially unchanged, the relay P will function reliably to detect grounds. Closing or opening one or more of the controllers K or K will operate to redistribute the capacity among the individual units C and C or C and C but the total multiple capacity of the system of wires to ground will remain unchanged, because the total capacity is determined solely by the exposed area of the wires, separation from ground, and other physical constants inherent in the system and unchanged by the operation of controllers K or K The apparatus included within the broken line H is of such character that'contact 'i8 of relay E is maintained in its closed condition as long as armature 4 of relay P continues to oscillate from contact 5 to contact 6 and vice-versa. Should the oscillating movement of armature 3 become interrupted, relay B will become deenergized, opening contact l8 and closing contact V..%. In the particular form of apparatus illustrated, relay E is a direct current neutral relay, receiving its energy from a full-wave rectifier M, which in turn is energized from the secondary winding l2 of a transformer T. .The transformer T is provided with a primary winding divided into two equal sections is and Why the tap 2i at the electrical center of the winding. When arma-' ture l is oscillating'direct' current is supplied from the terminals ifi-li; of a suitable source, alternately to sections it and i l of the primary winding, inducing in well known manner an alternating potential across the terminals of secondary winding 52. The alternating potential so induced causes a unidirectional current to flow in the winding of relay E, maintaining this relay in its energized condition. Should the oscillations of armature lcease, a steady direct current will continue to flow in one or the other section of the primary winding of transformer T, and no alternating potential will appear across secondary winding i2, with the result that relay E will become deenergized,

As long as contact 7-8 of relay E remains closed, an indicator L, which may be either of the visual or acoustic type, will be energized and will provide an indication that the system is free from grounds. When a ground occurs on the system, causing relay E to become deenergized, indicator L will become deenergized, and contact L43 will close a ground path from wire CX through resistor R and a normally closed push button S. -The purpose of grounding wire CX through resistor R, in the event of a ground on the system, is'to provide a shunt path around any control relay such as D or D which may happen'to have a control wire ill or it? grounded, in order to remove the possibility of false energization of the control relay through the medium of the accidental ground. The ohmic value of resistor R is chosen sufficiently low as compared with the impedance of a control relay to insure that sufiicient current will be diverted from the relay to prevent energization. After the system has been cleared of grounds, it is necessary to depress push button S momentarily in order that capacities C C and C may again become charged from battery B, and the sy'stembe restored to its normal condition 7 Although I have herein shown andxdescrib'ed only one form of ground detecting apparatus em bodying my invention,it is understood that varie ous changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit, and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my, invention, whatI claim is: a I

1. In combination with an alternating current transmission line having capacity to ground, a source of direct current, a winding, means for alternately charging said capacity from said source in a given direction through said winding and for discharging said capacity the reverse direction through the winding, and indicating means governed by said winding responsive to the direction of current flow therethrough.

2. In combination with an alternating current transmission line having capacity to ground, a 7 source of direct current, a winding, means for alternately charging said capacity from said source in a given direction through said winding and for discharging said capacity in the reverse direction through the winding in continued sequence, and indicating means governed by said winding responsive to the continued alternate change in direction of the, current through the winding.

3. In combination with an alternating current transmission line having capacity to ground, a source of direct current, an electroresponsive device, means for alternately charging said capacity from said source in a given direction through said device and for discharging said capacity in the reverse direction through the device, and indicating means governed by said device in accordance with the direction of current flow therethrough.

i. In combination with an alternating current transmission line having capacity to ground, a

source of direct current, means including a circuit for alternately charging said capacity from said source in a given direction and for discharging said capacity, a polarized relay included in the charge and discharge circuit for said capacity and capable of assuming one condition or another according as it is energized by'current flowing into or current flowing out from said capacity, and indicating means governed bysaid polarized relay. i

5. A ground detector for an alternating current transmission system having capacity to ground comprising in combination, a source of direct current, means including a circuit for alternately charging said capacity from said source and discharging said capacity in continued sequence, a polarized relay included inthe charge and discharge circuit for said capacity and capable of responding to the charging current flowing into and the discharge current flowing out from said capacity, and means governed by saidpolarized relay for providing an indication when said sequence of charge and discharge currents is uninterrupted.

6. In combination with an alternating current 7. In-combination with an alternating current transmission line having capacity to ground, a source of direct current; meansincluding an interrupter and a circuit for alternately charging said capacity from said source and discharging said capacity, a winding included in said circuit and energized by the charging current flowing into and the discharge current flowing out-from said capacity, and means governed by said wind: ing for providing one indication when said charge and discharge currents follow in sequence and anotherindication when said sequence is interruptedn H r 8. In combination with an alternating current transmission line comprising a plurality of line wires having capacity to ground, a source of direct current, means including a circuit for alter,- nately charging said capacity from said source in a given direction and discharging said capacity 7 currents follow in sequence, an indicator controlled by said first contact, and means also governed'by said detecting relay and including a secand contact for closing a shunt path around said control relay in the event that said charge and discharge currents do not follow in sequence.

9. In combination with an alternating current transmission line having capacity to ground, a source of direct current, means including a circuit for alternately'charging said capacity from said source in a given direction and discharging said capacity in continued sequence,' a polarized relay included in said circuit and energized by the charging current flowing into and the discharge current flowing out from said capacity, a transformer comprising'a primary and a secondary winding, a rectifier, a direct current neutral relay connected with the secondaryof said transformer through said rectifier, means controlled by said polarized relay for causing an interrupted direct current to flow in said primary winding when said charge and discharge currents follow in sequence thereby causing a voltage to be induced in said secondary winding for energizing said neutral relay, and an indicator controlled by said neutral relay.

10. In combination with an alternating current transmission line having capacity to ground, a source of direct current, means for'alternately charging said capacity from said source and dis charging said capacity in continuedsequence, a detecting relayresponsive to the direction of the flow of current through its winding-means for energizing said relay in one direction by the charging current flowing into said capacity and in the other direction by the discharge current flowing out fromsaid capacity, an auxiliary relay, means controlled by said detecting relay for keeping said auxiliary relay energized when and only when said detecting relay is alternately energized in one direction and the other in continued sequence, an indicator controlled by a front contact of said auxiliary relay, an impedance, and means including a back contact of said auxiliary relay for connectinga wire of said transmission line with ground through said impedance.

11; In combination with an alternating current transmission line having capacity to ground, a source of direct current, means including an interrupter and a circuit for alternately charging said capacity from said source ina given direction and discharging said capacity in continued sequence, a polarized relay included in said circuit and energized by the charging current flowing into and discharge current flowing out from said capacity, a transformer comprising a primary winding divided into two sections and a secondary Winding, means governed by said polarized relay for alternately supplying one of said primary sections with direct current of one polarity and the other of said primary sections with direct current of the opposite polarity according as said polarized relay is energized by said charging current or said discharge current respectively, a full-wave rectifier having its alternating current terminals connected across the secondary winding of said transformer, a direct current neutral relay con-' nected across the direct current terminals of said rectifier, an indicator; an energizing circuit for said indicator including a normally closed circuit controller, a resistor, and a front contact of said neutral relay; and a grounding circuit for a wire of said transmission line including said circuit controller, said resistor, and a back contact of said neutral relay.

' GEORGE W. BAUGHMAN. 

